Fluence Energy GmbH, a subsidiary of Fluence Energy, Inc., a leading global provider of energy storage products and services, and optimisation software for renewables and storage, and TransnetBW GmbH, the transmission system operator in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, have started the construction of Germany’s first and largest battery-based energy storage system deployed as a part of the country’s critical transmission network infrastructure.
The breaking ground event on June 10, 2024, was attended by Thekla Walker, Minister for the Environment, Climate Protection, and the Energy Sector of Baden Württemberg, as well as other local, regional, and national decision-makers. Once completed, the 250 MW Grid Booster (German: “Netzbooster”) located at Kupferzell, a major hub of the German transmission grid, is anticipated to enable more efficient operation of the German transmission network.
The Grid Booster is expected to reduce the need for grid expansion and ease bottlenecks stemming from transporting wind energy from Germany’s north to the country’s southern load centers. By limiting grid congestion, the project will support greater integration of renewable energy. Its innovative character lies in the usage of the batteries as part of a complex control system intended to reduce congestion on transmission lines. The project’s footprint will be about 4.5 football fields in size and is expected to charge and discharge 250 MW of power for one hour.
“Germany is on its way to a climate-neutral future. We are honored to be part of this transition together with TransnetBW, a pioneering transmission system operator that spearheads the deployment of innovative technologies, ensuring the resilience and sustainability of power networks. At Fluence, we are on a mission to transform the way we power our world. Deploying our battery solutions in TransnetBW’s Grid Booster project will improve renewable integration and transform the way we power Germany,” said Paul McCusker, SVP & President EMEA at Fluence. “In our technology center in Erlangen, Germany, we develop and test industry-leading critical control architecture for the Grid Booster. We have committed further investment to expand our team and the technology centre in Germany to meet the accelerated demand.”
Dr. Werner Götz, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board at TransnetBW, said: “By using this technology in innovative ways, we can increase capacity in the existing electricity grid and integrate more renewable energy. The Netzbooster is thus making an important contribution towards the energy transition.”
According to a study by Frontier Economics, the volume of battery-based energy storage in Germany is expected to increase fortyfold, reaching 57 GWh with a connected capacity of 15 GW by 2030. Based on the modelling of Frontier Economics, battery storage can reduce the cost of consumer electricity and generate at least €12 billion in added economic value by 2050.
